New Wave Power Pop
tagStarted 1977Peak 1979-1982Last big hit 1983
Located in 1 route
Punk-era power pop in skinny ties: terse, hook-stuffed three-minute songs with chiming British-Invasion guitars, handclaps, harmonies, and nervy new-wave energy. Brighter and snappier than punk, smarter than bubblegum. Crisp clean-toned riffs, insistent backbeats, and big shout-along choruses built for AM radio and the post-punk dancefloor.
History
When punk and new wave hit in 1977-79, a wave of bands fused power pop's Beatles/Who hooks with new-wave bounce. The Knack's 1979 'My Sharona' was the breakout; the Cars, Romantics, Records, and Plimsouls followed. A critical backlash cooled label interest by the early '80s, but the era defined power pop's commercial peak.
Defining artists
Essential listening
Sources
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_pop
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Knack
- https://rock.fandom.com/wiki/Power_pop
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Records